Skull Reapers
The Skull Reapers are an Astartes Chapter of Suspected Iron Hands descent created during an unknown Founding, but are suspected to be a Chapter of the mysterious 21st Founding, the so-called 'Cursed Founding', as they are extremely similar in appearance to the mysterious Sons of Antaeus Chapter. The Astartes of the Skull Reapers Chapter are unusually large and robust physical specimens, even among their kind, and they are capable of surviving wounds and physical injuries that would kill even other Space Marines. The Chapter's detractors point out that the Skull Reapers appear every bit as resilient as the Death Guard Traitor Legion and some have even opinioned that they are somehow connected to them, but this is an impossibility as the Skull Reapers were created thousands of years after the Horus Heresy and have, on many occasions, willingly submitted themselves to the mandatory purity tests of their gene-seed which has seemingly confirmed their status as an Iron Hands Successor Chapter. History Believed to have been created sometime during the 36th Millennium (although there is significant evidence pointing to their inception occurring possibly as early as the Second Founding in 021.M31) the Skull Reapers have become a byword for strength and resilience beyond what an Astartes is thought capable of, specializing in combat in the most brutal and unforgiving environments the Skull Reapers will fight until the last man and do not care about casualties only that an objective is completed. Noctis Aeterna During this dark period the hopes of trillions was reignited with the return of one of the Emperors loyal son's - Roboute Guilliman, Primarch of the Ultramarines - and he brought with him the fruits of 10,000 years of research - the Primaris Space Marines. Representatives from the Primarch were dispatched to every Astartes Chapter to gift these wondrous creations and soon Primaris Astartes were serving with distinction but unlike many other Chapters that received full grown and battle hardened Primaris the Skull Reapers instead received the technology and knowledge to create their own Primaris Space Marines. The wargear to arm these formidable warriors was also received including 500 suits of Mk X Power Armour in their various Patterns, Hundreds of Cawl and Belisarius Pattern Weapons, 4 Redemptor Dreadnoughts Chassis, 2 Overlord Gunships and Repulser Grav Tanks, all of which have been assigned to the newly formed 7th Battle Clan. Thanks to this great fortune the Skull Reapers prosecute their wars with even greater vigour. The numbers of Primaris Astartes currently serving are unknown but during the battles of the Indominatus Campaign they were able to field an entire company. These new Astartes have proven to be just as capable of surviving wounds and physical injuries that would kill even other Space Marines. Notable Campaigns *'The Devastation of Killian (560.M36-555.M36)' - A campaign to recapture the world of Killian from the foul Death Guard Traitor Legion who had turned the world into a toxic wasteland that soon descended into a brutal war of attrition between 2 legendarily resilient foes. The Skull Reapers were victorious only at great cost. *'The Centurion War (931-954.M41)' - This was a brutal campaign launched by the several Adeptus Astartes Chapters to eradicate secessionist forces located in the Centurion Sector of the Segmentum Ultima. The secessionist forces included (sadly) two Renegade Astartes Chapters. The war would later be determined to have been the work of Chaos. The Skull Reapers and the other Space Marine Chapters eventually pushed the Forces of Chaos to Iterium VI, and broke them in a cataclysmic final battle. One of the Astartes Chapters would be nearly destroyed while the other would fall to Chaos and become known as the Bringers of Change. *'The Teutoberg War (100.M42)' - In the aftermath of the Great Rift many worlds fell to infighting and anarchy as insurrections and outright rebellion swept across the Galaxy, the system of Teutoberg fell to rebellion in 099.M42 and the call was sent, the Adepta Sororitas Order of the Emperor Resplendent responded in kind along with four Chapters of Astartes and 14 Regiments of the Astra Militarum. The Order sent seven whole companies of Battle-Sisters to assist the beleaguered system. In one notable incident during the brutal campaign, the Order found themselves fighting alongside the the Astra Militarum on Teutoburg VI as well as the notorious Charnel Brethren and Flesh Rippers Space Marine Chapters, who had appeared and joined the war. Also serving were the Corvus Legion and Skull Reapers Chapters. The Blood Reaver Erhlen denied Canoness Anastasia any tactical counsel whatsoever and even refused to meet with her. Talks between the two Imperial forces was conducted by the Captain of the 6th Company of the Charnel Brethren, Blood Captain Gideon. After nearly 2 century's leading her Sisters to war, occasionally alongside Space Marine Chapters, this treatment came as no surprise. But the Order's main grievance was with the way the 2 of the Chapter's conducted themselves during the ensuing battle. The Battle-Sisters struck the massive Traitor army as it changed positions from shelling the main Defences of Gaius City, to occupying the settlement. Battered by three days' bombardment, the loyalist population of Gaius City had dug underground and, under the careful ministrations of the Order's Sisters Superior and the Sergeants of the Astra Militarum, were determined to form an ad hoc militia to defend their homes, alongside them stood the Adeptus Sororitas and 8 full regiments of the Astra Militarum. The Flesh Rippers and Charnel Brethren launched their attack on the Traitor column when it was approximately one Imperial mile from Gaius City and, hitting the Traitors in the rear and flanks, they drove the disorganised enemy into the Battle-Sisters' and Guardsmens' waiting guns. Caught between Battle-Sisters and Space Marines, thousands were slaughtered, with the survivors mounting their vehicles to escape with all haste. The Sisters first noticed something was very wrong when the Traitors began pouring towards the Imperial line. Cannoness Anastasia saw in the faces of the soldiers, absolute terror, and they displayed no fear of the massed guns of the Imperial Forces, only a desire get away from the Flesh Rippers and Charnel Brethren, who apparently driven mad by some kind of battle-frenzy, crashed into the Traitors rear ranks, just as the first soldiers reached the loyalist Astra Militarum's lines. The crazed Space Marines fell upon the Traitors in an orgy of bloodletting. Many Astartes had removed their helmets, and eschewing the use of pistols and other ranged weapons, set about the soldiers with chainsword, chain-axe, combat knife and even their own teeth. Cannoness Anastasia witnessed in mute horror, Astartes ripping out the throats of men with their bared teeth. The raw fury and love of carnage she saw in their faces, as they literally tore the enemy apart, made her shudder in fear. The traitor forces were annihilated within minutes of the Space Marines' brutal attack, but the small number of the enemy were simply not enough for the Flesh Rippers and Charnel Brethren, who by now seemed to have been driven into a fever pitch of absolute bloodlust. With no more traitors for them to butcher, they scrambled over the breastworks of the Astra Militarum and Militia and smashed into their line. Properly driven into a true battle frenzy now, the Flesh Rippers and Charnel Brethren performed acts of the most debauched nature, in the name of violence.Every guardsmen they found, fell beneath their blades. Even though they were allies, none were spared by the Marines crazed attack, Men, women and youths, all fell beneath their blades. The old, the infirm, none were spared the Marines crazed attack. The Canoness later reported that she had personally witnessed cannibalistic acts committed by the frenzied Marines. She ordered a hasty withdrawal of her Sisters from the Flesh Rippers and Charnel Brethren with all haste, before they reached their positions. The Canoness later reported the incident to the Inquisition. Her report stated that both the Flesh Rippers and Charnel Brethren were unstable beyond redemption and that they were not fit for duty anywhere within their mighty Imperium. The Canononess firmly believed that it was evident that the Flesh Rippers and Charnel Brethren had devolved far beyond any point reached by a loyalist Chapter and requested their immediate destruction. The Corvus Legion and Skull Reapers were spared a request for their destruction. The current whereabouts and operational activities of the Flesh Rippers remain unknown but reports from the fringes of Imperial Space have begun filtering back of excessive casualties in tactic-less displays of horde warfare and their are even reports that the Flesh Rippers' Imperial allies have sometimes become subject to the Flesh Rippers' fury even as as world after world falls to their savage berserker fury. The Corvus Legion and Skull Reapers were spared a request for their destruction. The last known sighting of these four Space Marine Chapters was made by an Explorator augury-beacon, which marked them tacking course through the Warp towards the Segmentum Obscurus. **'Shadow War on Teutoberg (100.M42) - ' The event that became known in Imperial records as the Shadow War was fought in 100.M42 during the Teutoberg Campaign. The wreckage the Massive Hive Corinium was was located in the dust wastes of the forlorn world of Teutoberg VI. Within the Hive was a nightmarish scene of carnage and destruction rarely witnessed before by men. A bloody battle had been fought between four Chapter-sized forces of Space Marines from the Corvus Legion, Skull Reapers, Charnel Brethren and Flesh Rippers against the Heretic Astartes of the Night Lords 38th Company, Alpha Legion and the World Eaters. These seven forces, infamous for their savagery and unyielding stances towards their foes, had fought each other to a bloody standstill. The base around them was ripped apart and many of the bodies of both sides showed signs of having fought on despite suffering horrendous wounds, severed limbs and massive trauma that should have felled even an Astartes, and several were found locked in deathly, gore-splattered embraces, striking at their foes with their last ebbing strength. The Loyalist soon departed taking their dead with them while the Traitors were left to rot. a testament to the hatred that existed between them. *'The Betrayal at the Bloody Crag (111.M42)' - In the aftermath of the Great Eye opening the Galaxy was plunged into disorder, Chaos erupted across the Imperium's world's, systems and entire sectors were plunged into darkness, only a Son of the Emperor, a Primarch could stem the tide. Roboute Guilliman led his Crusade across the breadth of his fathers realm, saving what he could and destroying what he couldn’t save. And now one hundred years have passed and the Indomitus Crusade is ending, the Imperium stabilised but there are still many worlds that remain under the control of the Great Enemy. The Fortress World of Ursax had fallen to the forces of Chaos, the Death Guard and the Cult of the Diseased Hand had captured it during the terrible times known as the Noctis Aeterna, severing a line of fortified worlds that acted as bulwark against the rising tide that threatened to engulf the Imperium Nihilus, the Skull Reapers were determined to retake it and make an example to all in the process, they also seemed utterly determined to take the fight to the Death Guard and during the Battle seemed to take great satisfaction in destroying these foul traitors the most. Fielding their entire Chapter along with an Entire Astartes Charpter whose name has been lost to History. Landing in full force the Imperial forces drove the enemy back meter by meter to the formation designated as Ridge-140 now known as the Bloody Crag when a betrayal of the basest kind took place, the Skull Reapers allies turned on them and willingly joined with the Heretics and launched a brutal counterattack, caught between these 2 forces and outnumbered by almost 50 to 1 the Astartes of the Skull Reapers showed all the resilience they have become legendary for and launched assault after brutal assault, the Reaper Lord was the very epitome of death, smashing into the ranks of the vile Death Guard his great scythe sweeping left and right, every blow sending mutated corpses tumbling through the air. The traitors hurled themselves at towering warrior in their midst yet they were laughably outmatched in every regard, heads were ripped from their shoulders, bones pulverised, gene-forged superhumans torn apart as if they were nothing. With the Reaper Lord and his brothers reaping an horrific tally of dead the Skull Reapers emerged victorious and purged all life from the corrupted world, once the smoke had cleared just 19 Skull Reapers lay dead as for the heretic forces they had been utterly wiped from the face of existence and the names of these traitors expunged from history so completely that future generations will never know they even existed Chapter Organisation The Skull Reapers follow the doctrine of their supposed parent Chapter the Iron Hands in that they do not have the Codex Astartes-proscribed ten companies, but rather, are divided into the 1st Great Clan and seven Battle Clans of almost equal size and capability, only the 8th Battle Clan is organised differently, being smaller and operating more as a conventional Astartes company rather than toxic and death world specialist's. While the 1st Clan is the Veteran Company, each of the seven Battle Clans recruit its own aspirants from their Homeworld. The 1st Clan resides in the Chapters Fortress-Monastery high in the mountains of their toxic homeworld, while the Battle Clans travel the world's surface in massive Land Crawlers, like their believed progenitors. Conflict amongst the various Battle Clans is not unheard of, but each of the Battle Clans are careful not to anger the powerful 1st Clan or to blood their Astartes too badly, but sometimes deaths are unavoidable. Among the Battle Clans the 2nd and 7th are consided the preemminent clans and are often the first to deploy in battle. Indiviual Companys are assigned their own vessels with the 1st Great Clan garrisoning the Chapter Flagship the Reapers Scythe, the remaining Battle Clans garrison their own Strike Cruiser with void craft and drop pods spread throughout the Fleet Order of Battle (ca.111.M42) Disposition of the Skull Reapers at the time of the Betrayal at the Bloody Crag ca.111.M42 Headquarters Companies Battle Doctrine The Chapters combat doctrin is rather unusual for a Astartes Chapter. The Skull Reapers believe that victory comes through sheer relentlessness. Their weapons, while not ornate, function without flaw. They do not manoeuvre in fanciful patterns to confuse the enemy, instead they stand their ground waiting for the enemy assaults to falter before striking back with fatal force. Any environment or situation the Chapters Officers could not compensate for, the Skull Reapers will overcome through sheer stubborn resilience and painful endurance. And even though the Chapter makes the proper use of tanks and armoured vehicles, the primacy of the foot soldier remains the Skull Reapers's trademark. Each Space Marine is well-trained in a variety of infantry disciplines, and able to function in almost any role or environment. The Skull Reapers are arguably amongst the most remorseless and among the most feared of the Space Marine Chapters. This is not simply because of their power in battle or force of arms, but also because there seems to be no loss they would not accept to ensure eventual victory and no hell they would not endure to reach their foe. Although specialising in entrenched and attritional warfare, the Chapter also haa a number of formations and tactics that enable it to operate in concentrated and crushing force in an attack -- one such is dubbed "The Reaping" by those who have fought alongside the Skull Reapers. A heavily reinforced column of attack particularly suited to urban warfare and shattered landscapes, the Reaping is deliberately slow-moving and utterly murderous in its methodical assault pattern and, like the reaper's scythe, little escapes it. Many have noted a very close similarity to the Death Guard in operaton and the Inquisition has begun to take a more loser look at this supposedly loyal Chapter The Skull Reapers are specialists in fighting in toxic environments, their Armour is modified with additional breathing apparatus and when combined with their seemingly natural resilience to toxins it makes them the perfect choice for attacks on Death Worlds and other Toxic Worlds. Physical Appearance and Gene-Seed The Skull Reapers are believed to hail from the Iron Hands and have on many occasions allowed their gene-seed to be examined, this is because they have often been compared, by their detractors, to the Traitor Death Guard in both appearance and combat doctrine. This has led them to be suspected of a connection to the Traitors and forced them to allow the Inquisition to investigate them lest they are brought to trial on charges of Heresy, despite their passing of the test they are often still looked upon with suspicion. Many Inquisitors have noted that all tests have been performed on the 8th Clan only and it is claimed that this a deliberate attempt to mislead any investigations and Inquisitors have also noted that the 8th Clan's Astartes and seemingly less robust and resilient than their brothers from the other Clans and it is likely these matters will soon come to a head, one way or another. They are also known to carry Power Scythes into battle, an uncommon weapon seen on the fields of battle in the modern 42nd Millennium. This, combined with their Chapter's style of battle, have only fuelled the Inquisition's suspicions. Unlike other Iron Hands successors the Skull Reapers do not gladly replace their bodies with augmetics and are seen to only accept them begrudgingly, with the noted exception of the 8th Clan who accepts augments almost willingly. Recruitment Attrition rates within the Skull Reapers on active service are frighteningly high despite their legendary resilience. Iceni itself in a short span of years has become little more than a factory to produce new recruits for the Skull Reapers. Recruitment is, however, aided by the high suitability of the planet's feral population for the Astartes conversion process. Chapter Beliefs Thanks to their Gene-Seed, all Skull Reapers are at heart an infantryman, a utilitarian warrior on foot who can go anywhere, fight on any ground and destroy any enemy through resilience, resolve and implacable aggression. As part of this doctrine, the Skull Reapers's squad formations are largely not static as in most Space Marine Chapters, but are formed, reformed and ordered as needed and as the given tactical situation required. To this end, a Skull Reapers Battle Brother is trained to be equally adept at any infantry role he might be called upon to perform on the battlefield rather than fighting at all times in a particular specialised role. In this way, a Skull Reapers Astartes will act as a Tactical Marine in one battle, a heavy weapons fire support specialist in another and so on, with only Techmarines and other highly specialised occupations remaining wholly dedicated to a single tactical role. The Skull Reapers are organised around the principles established by the Legions of old and built upon the ways they had always fought, even before their transformation on the grim world of Iceni. Bolter, Melta and Flamer are the Skull Reapers's trinity of weapons around which their wargear is based, keeping supply needs to a minimum. Other types of ranged weapons are deployed sparingly only as the tactical situation or nature of the enemy demanded. Each Skull Reapers also carries a close combat blade as well, which includes broad trench daggers, Warscythes and the heavy slashing Falchion. Forged of dense black ceramsteel, these brutal and efficient weapons have became the hallmark of the Skull Reapers. This reliance on simple but effective tools of war is an outward manifestation of the cardinal belief held by the Chapter that the Space Marine himself is the greatest of all weapons at the Imperium's disposal, a tireless engine of war before which any enemy will eventually succumb. The Skull Reapers rely almost exclusively on its infantry to provide its strategic strength, with the bulk of tactical support firepower coming from heavily armed support squads, and from the Chapters considerable numbers of Terminators and Dreadnoughts, which provide reinforcement and assault spearheads where needed. This focus on heavy infantry formations was also one of the reasons the Skull Reapers have developed a particularly admirable record in fighting to clear Space Hulks and Zone Mortalis of enemy infestation and for their ability to destroy fortifications and citadels from within. While the Skull Reapers do utilise field armour, support vehicles and transports are not given any primacy in the Chapters tactical doctrine. The only exception to this are dedicated siege units such as the Vindicator which are fielded in disproportionately high numbers by the Chapter along with heavy tanks in mass warfare. Unlike some Space Marine Chapters whose operations are often diffused across separate commands, taskforces and campaigns spread across the galaxy, the Skull Reapers are accustomed to fight as a single, united force. Primarch's Curse: Unrelenting Advance When the Chapter's genetic curse manifests itself in an affected Battle-Brother, it comes on in three stages: *'Stage 1 - Advance': The Battle-Brother has begun to show the signs of the curse, The Battle-Brother spends his every waking moment brooding on past battles, seeking even the slightest flaw in his own deeds, and those of others. While he stops short of outright criticism of his Battle-Brothers, he condemns his own actions as falling short of the example set by his Primarch, and seeks to redeem himself in the fires of battle.. *'Stage 2 - No Retreat': The Battle-Brother believes himself deficient in some manner, whether real or imagined, and becomes truculent and obstructive when ordered to redeploy in the face of a stronger foe. When acting as a squad leader he makes demands of his squad that others might consider unreasonable, and views any disagreement as outright disobedience. The ruthlessness of the Skull Reapers manifests more strongly in the Battle-Brother, making him prone to aggression. The Battle-Brother must summon forth all his considerable willpower when confronted by an enemy or by something he considers "weak;" failure means that the Battle-Brother's fury is released in some way, most likely causing a feud, confrontation, or escalating into open violence. *'Stage 3 - Endure': Near the end, the Battle-Brother obsessively reviews every detail of every mission he takes part in, finding fault with his own actions and those of his squad. He becomes withdrawn, maudlin and confrontational, weakness of any kind will no longer be tolerated. The Battle-Brother will stand his ground whatever may be thrown at him, ignoring wounds and orders to the point where only death will end his stand. Notable Skull Reapers *'Lord Reaper Mtrox' - Chapter Master at the time of the Centurion War. *'Lord Reaper Severon' 'The Reaper'- The grim and bitter Chapter Master of the Skull Reapers obtaining his position in 111.M42 just before the Betrayal at the Bloody Crag, No living person has met him but a Rogue Trader detained by the Inquisition claimed to have witnessed a meeting between Lord Michaelus of the Charnel Brethren, Rhagrimm Korvix of the Corvus Legion, Uric Draf of the Flesh Rippers and Severon of the Skull Reapers along with an Inquisitor in silver power armour, the entirety of their Chapters were present on the Moon of Typhex V. The Rogue Trader was able to briefly describe each of the Chapter Master, as for Severus he described him as a massive figure, a giant in stone grey Armour, a face mostly hidden behind a rebreather mask from which puffs of gas escaped, his eyes staring from his gaunt face, a gigantic scythe with a blade longer then most men are tall held at his side. The Rogue Trader never finished his description, the Inqusition deemed him a Heretic and executed him but his words have been forwarded to the Lord Regent himself, what the Primarch Guilliman will make of his words an only be guessed at *'Reaper Captain Thamatica' - Reaper Captain of the elite and feared 1st Great Clan, Thamatica is a brutal but pragmatic warrior, he has risen to command his Clan through skill and determination. Clad in an ancient suit of Cataphractii Terminator Armour and wielding a smaller version of his lords Power Scythe he fight to the very last for what more could be expected from an Astartes. *'Reaper Captain Mortag Lhorgath' - Reaper Captain of the brutal and merciless 7th Battle Clan Mortag is the very epitome of a Skull Reaper Astartes, he is a bitter, morbid warrior, prone to introspection, a hulking Primaris Astartes he was born on a world where happiness and laughter are a rare thing indeed and he has proven to be warrior of consummate skill and determination blessed with a tactician's mind he has become one of his grim Lord's most able subordinate's. Chapter Fleet The Skull Reapers Fleet is believed to be relativley large with the Chapter counting 2 Battle-Barges as well as an unknown number of Strike Cruisers and Rapid Strike Vessels, each Great Clan has its own Strike Cruiser and Escorts with the notable exception of the 7th Battle Clan which has been granted use of the Battle Barge Indomitable Will. Chapter Relics *''The Reapers Scythe'' - A monstrous two-handed battle scythe with a massive blade span, wielded with inhuman skill by the Lord Reaper himself it has proven to be the Death of innumerable foes. *''The Reapers Plate'' - The Lord Reapers battle plate, fusing ancient Power Armour with systems of his own design, it is a masterpiece of construction and almost impervious to damage, its like can no longer be produced in this stagnated Imperium. *''Wrath of the Reaper'' - A relic Falcion heavy tank destroyer, dating to before the Heresy, this warmachine is ancient and powerful, its twin Vocano Cannons able to destroy anything it lays its sights on. Deployed during the brutal Battle of the Plains on the planet of Kalen during the Centurion War. The Wrath of the Reaper claimed no less than 5 enemy Titans, 3 Warhounds and 1 of each for Reaver and Warlord Battle Titans including an exceptional 17 km kill-shot against a Warhound. Chapter Appearance Chapter Colours The Skull Reapers primarily wear power armour that is an overall dark gunmetal grey. When worn, the Aquila or Imperialis on the plastron (chest guard) is also the same dark gunmetal grey in colour. The shoulder pauldron trim is similar in appearance as their progenitors, being crenelated, and dark gunmetal grey in colour. A white coloured squad specialty symbol symbol stenciled upon the right armorial inset indicates a battle-brother's assigned specialty (Battleline, Fire Support, Close Support, Veteran and Command). The squad specialty symbol is surrounded by a white coloured dual-cog symbol. A black coloured gothic numeral stenciled on the center of the squad specialty symbol indicates squad assignment. A small white coloured lozenge (diamond symbol) is stenciled upon the left poleyn (knee guard), a large black coloured gothic numeral stenciled upon it, which indicates a battle-brother's assigned Battle Clan (Company). This same lozenge icon, with company number, are often stenciled upon the vehicles and equipment, to show which Battle Clan it is assigned to, as well. Sometimes, a livery shield is attached to the left armorial, to help in battlefield identification of a battle-brother's assigned company. Chapter Badge The Skull Reapers' Chapter badge is a stylized black coloured skull centered within a white coloured Iron Halo symbol, a pair of crossed scythes centered behind the central symbol. Allies and Enemies Allies None officially known, however, they have been seen operating alongside the Flesh Rippers, Charnel Brethren and Corvus Legion Chapters on various campaigns, but it is unknown whether an official alliance exists between these forces or if they are allies of convenience. Enemies 'Death Guard - '''The Skull Reapers are loyal to the Imperium and therefore the Traitor Legions are considered the gravest of the Emperors foes but one legion stands above all others in the Skull Reapers hatred ''the Death Guard. Why they hate this particular legion above the others is unknown but they will even abandon a campaign at the merest mention of these reviled Traitors and will do all they can to destroy them. Notable Quotes Feel free to add your own By the Skull Reapers Feel free to add your own About the Skull Reapers Gallery Skull Reapers_Primaris.png|A Skull Reapers Primaris Space Marine of the 7th Great Clan, 6th Battleline Squad. Category:Imperium Category:Space Marine Chapters Category:Space Marines Category:Unknown Founding Category:Unknown Geneseed